Micro-Optics

One of the cornerstone-technologies of photonics is micro-optics. Micro-optics allows the manipulation of light and the management of photons with micron and sub-micron scale structures and components.

It is a key-technology to interface the macroscopic world we live in with the microscopic world of opto- and nano-electronic data processing. Micro-Optics is a quintessential link between photonics and nano-electronics, the two dominant information technologies in tomorrow’s society.

Today already micro-optical components and subsystems find widespread applications in the following domains:

• Information technology periphery : e.g. in micro-displays, micro-projectors, optical data storage, optical mouse, micro-cameras, scanners, printers, copiers
• Biomedicine: e.g. minimally-invasive/point of care diagnostics, treatment monitoring, micro-imaging sensors, retinal implants
• Biotechnology: e.g. in bio-chips, micro-fluidic chips, and/or lab-on-a-chip
• Lighting: e.g luminaires based on LEDs and other efficient light sources
• Sustainable energy: e.g solar concentrators
• Safety and security systems: e.g. IR night vision systems for automotive applications, optical fingerprint sensors, retinal scanners
• Optical fibre data- and telecommunication: e.g. in photonic switching fabrics, in passive components for Fibre-To-The-Home, in optical amplifiers, in mainframe and personal computer interconnect systems
• Smart structures: e.g. in optical fibre-based sensing systems
• and in many more...

Would you like to know more about the enabling character of micro-optics ? Please go to 'Did you know?'